Gibson Get The Nod On 2017 LMP2 Engine Supply

14 September 2015, 3:55 PM

The World Motor Sport Council has validated the selection by the ACO, FIA and IMSA committee of Gibson Technology as the sole engine supplier for cars in the LM P2 sports car category of ACO and FIA series, and Cosworth Electronics as the sole electronics supplier for LM P2 in ACO/FIA competitions as well as the IMSA category prototypes entered for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2017, the date on which the new regulations come into force.

The ACO, FIA and IMSA are continuing their work on the introduction of new technical regulations in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LM P2) category that will come into force from 2017.

The aim of the new regulations is to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of this category by achieving cost reductions, stability in the regulations, while increasing the speed of the LM P2 cars to bring them closer to those in LM P1.

They will be applied to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Asian Le Mans Series (Asian LMS starting in 2019), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

In July, the four chassis constructors were selected to supply LM P2s to the ACO/FIA Series and the IMSA prototypes. The successful constructors were Dallara (Italy-United States), Onroak Automotive (France), Oreca (France) and the joint-venture Riley Tech/Multimatic (USA-Canada-United Kingdom).

In the series governed by the ACO and the FIA, all LM P2s will be equipped with Gibson Technology engines.

The engine in question will be a normally-aspirated 4-litre V8 delivering 600bhp. In addition to the power increase it will enable entrants to reduce their engine costs, while taking advantage of all the services linked to running an engine without significant extra charges (such as technical service and presence at the circuits).

In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the prototypes will be powered by several different engines and the chassis will include stylistic elements particular to each engine builder.

The unique engine defined by the ACO/FIA will also be eligible in the United States where all the engines will be balanced to provide identical performances.

Cosworth Electronics has been selected as the single electronics supplier by the ACO, the FIA and IMSA. The unique Cosworth electronic unit will also provide a more efficient level of service (equipment, etc.), while enabling the performance of the engines between the ACO/FIA versions and the American engines to be managed.

Gibson Technology and Cosworth Electronics have been chosen according to criteria of performance, quality, reliability, service, maintenance and price competitiveness.

The full technical specification of the new engine will be revealed at a later date.

The final series of measures of the LM P2 regulations will follow five stages:

• 1st January 2016: validation of the safety structures/monocoque,
• 1st April 2016: validation of the bodywork and the mechanical components,
• 1st June 2016: validation of the crash test,
• 1st September 2016: presentation of the draft homologation sheet,
• From 1-15 December 2016: inspection and final validation of the car.